LEARNING LINKS
Earlier this year I was asked to take over responsibility for organising group visits to the Museum. The aim of this is to increase the number of such visits, and to attempt to attract school visits. This will fulfil our commitments made to the Heritage Lottery Fund, during the bid process for the Power Hall project, whilst at the same time increasing our revenue. We now have five official Tour Guides: Alwyne Marsden, Mike Holloway, Roger Brookes, Chris Lees, and myself. We have formed a Tour Guides group, and are all working together to promote these visits. We have to date completed a number of successful visits, with ages from just 3 to nearly 80!
So far as promoting school visits are concerned, we are receiving a great deal of help and support from Karen Spry and Sue Pope from Worcestershire County Council's Cultural Services. They were instrumental is setting up a pilot scheme with Gorse Hill Primary School, Worcester. The Teachers, Rob and Adam, were most enthusiastic about our Museum, and with Karen and Sue prepared a programme of activities for the children to do, whilst on their Museum visit. The day went off extremely well, and we subsequently heard that the school, which had been recommended for "special measures", was to be taken out. Part of the reason for this was the successful visits which the school had made, of which ours was one. Our experience with this pilot has helped us to put a small range of activities in place which are now available for school parties to use.
What we realised was the need for a more professional approach to schools and to tie in our activities with the curriculum. We were advised that grants were available to provide the services of a teacher through the MLA "Learning Links" project. This £2500 grant would enable a teacher to spend eight days at the Museum, developing a series of projects and activities for children to do, linked to Key Stage 1 and 2 (the age group we are aiming at). We have all been working on this bid since July, and I am pleased to say that we have been successful and been awarded the grant. As part of this award we shall be able to purchase an A3 colour laser printer, to enable us to speedily and cheaply produce the material the children will use.
The Teacher is Alison Driver from Meadowgreen School, Wythall, and the project will begin on 8 October. Everyone wins in this situation. The school will benefit from working closely with the Museum. The scheme should benefit Alison's career, and we should have a professionally planned package to offer schools.
We sent a mail out to 500 schools at the end of the school year, and as a result have already had one visit. Hopefully we shall see a steady increase in school visits as the word circulates.
We now really need more Tour Guides. With parties of fifty quite common, we should have at least four guides. With there being just five of us, this does not give us much margin for when some of us are not available. If you have good communication skills, and would like to join our happy band please contact me on 01827-875145 or at education@wythall.org.uk. We hope to have some professional tuition in the New Year, so don't be shy, come and have a go.
As we wish to increase group visits, if you know of a group, Over 60s, W.I, Scouts, model engineering club, etc., even a transport group!, please spread the word, and we will do our very best to give them a really memorable visit.
John S Rollings
Chapel Lane, Wythall, Worcs B47 6JX
Tel : 01564 826471 e-mail us
A registered educational charity no 507191
